Mucking machine



Feb. 3, 1953 A. R, BIEDESS MUCKING MACHINE Filed March 5, 1950 am s! 5 Sheets-Sheet l A. R. BIEDESS MUCKING MACHINE Feb, 3, 1953 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 5, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

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Y MUCKING MACHINE Filed March s, 1956 5 sheets-sheet s M.. IN VEN TOR.

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MUCKI'NG MACHINE Filed March 5, 1.950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

JIM/wily z'eo'ess M170/aww Patented Feb. 3, 1953 MUCKING MACHINE Anthony R'. Biedess, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 3, 1950, Serial No. 147,490

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mucking machines of the kind employing a dipper and boom arranged for horizontal and vertical swinging movement at the front end of the machine, as broadly disclosed in Mosier Patent #1,514,008.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of drive connections for controlling the movement of the dipper and boom.

A further object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of power connections for the scoop actuating devices which permit an increased width and corresponding added carrying capacity of the discharge conveyor,

A still further object is to provide a cushioning support for the entire receiving end of the discharge conveyor to where the material is deposited from the scoop upon the conveyor belt.

Still another object is to provide an improved means for adjusting the slack in the conveyor belt drive chain.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following description proceeds.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a mucking machine illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1; f

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed section taken generally on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed side view in part section taken generally on line 4,-4 of Figure 2 and shown to the same scale as Fig ure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a` iioating frame on which the front end of the conveyor belt is mounted;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line 'I-l of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken along line 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is at fragmentary detailed view from the exterior of the front end of the main frame taken along line 9-9 of Figure '7;

Figure l0 is a detailed section taken along line i my invention illustrated in the drawings, the

mucking machine consists essentially of 'the main frame I0 having spaced side plates II, II connected by a rear bumper plate I2 and a front cross member I3. A dipper I4 is pivotally connected on a horizontal axis to a boom I5, which boom in turn is pivoted for vertical and lateral swinging movement with respect to a support I6 mounted at the front end of the main frame I0. The dipper and boom shown herein are of conventional form and arrangement heretofore employed in mucking machines. Their movement is controlled, as usual, by a pair of chains I1, II connected at their front ends to opposite sides of the dipper and having their rear ends wound on drums I8, I8 carried on a transverse shaft I9 extending the full width of the machine and supported at opposite ends in standards 20 and ZI extending above the side plates II, II of the main frame. The chain drums I8, I8 are independently controlled for winding in either one or both of the chains Il, I'I during the operation of the machine, as will hereinafter more fully be described.

The machine is also equipped with a discharge conveyor, indicated generally at 24, for handling the material which is deposited by the dipper onto the boom-I5 and from thence is discharged by gravity upon the front end of the discharge conveyor when the dipper and boom are elevated to an upwardly inclined position.. The discharge conveyor includes a pair of side frame members 25, 25 which are fixed to the side plates I I, II near the front end of the main frame and extend upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to a relatively high level at the rear end of the frame. From thence, the side frame members 24 are continued at a decreased upward angle to form a rearwardly overhanging discharge boom, indicated at 26 at the rear end of the machine. The general structure and arrangement of the discharge conveyor, including the side plates 25 and the overhanging discharge boom 26, is similar to that heretofore employed in machines of this character so details thereof need not be further described herein, excepting to refer to an endless belt 21 which moves over a bottom plate 29 fixed between the side members 25 and is trained at its rear end over an idler pulley 28 mounted for longitudinal adjustment as usual at the rear end ofthe overhanging boom 26 of the discharge conveyor.

Referring now more particularly to certain novel features ofthe present invention, the front `end of the conveyor belt 21 is trained over a drive pulley 3D mounted on a shaft 3| having its op- 33, 34 and having its outer ends suitably jour-v nalled in the side plates II, II (see Figure 8). The upper surface of the bottom plate 35 of the 64 with said chain and sprockets below the level of the discharge conveyor, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

From the cross shaft 68, drive connections are provided, as is more or less conventional in machines of this type, to the front and rear track wheels 10 and 1I of the main frame, as for instancevthrough a sprocket 12 fixed on the cross shaft 68,-chaina13 and a sprocket 14 fixed on a cross shaft 15 between the front and rear wheels.

A pair of planetary drive mechanisms 16 and 11 floating fra-me is disposed ina plane above the pivot pin 36 on which the said floating frame swings. When said frame is in its normal operating position, as shown in Figure 3, said bottom plate is arranged substantially in alignment with the bottom plate 29 fixed to the sidefra-me members of the discharge conveyor so that the conveyor belt 21 may pass directly from supporting engagement with the movable bottom plate^`of the floating frame to the fixed bottom lplate 23 of the discharge conveyor, where said belt passes over the pivot pin 36. The front edge Yof the movable bottom plate 35 terminates closely adjacent and substantially tangential to the drive pulley 36 at the front end of the floating frame 32.

The loweror return reach of theV belt 21 may wardly 'and rearwardly beneath the pivot pin 36 and over one or more idler rollers 43 Vhaving their ends 1 rotatably mounted on the conveyor side frame members 25 'toward the rear end of the discharge conveyor.

As will be seen in Figures 6 and 1, the floating frame -32v has two laterally extending angle'members-145; 46 connected to the outer sides of the walls 3.3and 34-respectively. These angle members project outwardly through upright slots 41 and A48, respectively, formed in the side plates'V I I, II `of-the main frame,- and rest on the' upper ends oficoil springs 49-and 50 respectively.v The lower ends: of said'springs reston washers 5 I, 52 connected-by lbolts 53,- 54 passing upwardly through the-respective lsprings their upper ends'tocross bars55 andY 56ifix'ed to rthewrespective side'platesv II, II.' By meansv of this=yieldable suspension means, the front end of they floating frame 32V isv supported forV limited rocking movement about itspivot pin 36 to `pro vide a cushioning effect for the entire front end ofthe conveyor structure, including'belt 21 and the floating bottom plate 35 Aand-drive pulley 38, when materialis deposited on the "beltfrom the boom at-the front end of the machine.

Referring now'to the drive-mechanism for the several operative devices on the machine, a motor whichA may beof the electricv type indicated-at 60, issuitablymountedfneartherear end of the main frame and has a pinion Stdrivably engaged with gear-62 :mountedon a cross shaft 64. The motor SIJ-:and-cross shaftv 64- are located below the inclined discharge conveyor 24 but, inV the form shown, a part of the drive, consisting of the BI-and gear 62, is disposed toward one side 'of said discharge conveyor, at the left-hand side of the machine, as shown-in Figure 2. The cross shaft 64has av sprocket 65 connected as by chain 66and sprocket 61 to a second cross shaft 68 .disposed forwardly and below the cross shaft 49`and58 andconnected at are mounted on the cross shaft 15 connected as byv chains 18 and 19 to the front and rear wheels fon-driving. the. latter in forward or backward directions, as desired. The planetary mechanisms and their drive connections to the wheels may be similar to the kind disclosed in the Mosier Patent-#1,514,008, so further details thereof need not be described herein. It will be noted that all the wheel driving connections, including the planetary mechanisms 16 and 11, are located below the discharge conveyor adjacent the center Vof the machine.

Referring now to the' drive connections for the chaindrums I8; I8, previously described as being carried on the transverse shaft I9 at the front end of the machine above the discharge conveyor, a chain sprocket is mounted near the left end of the cross shaft 68, beyond the left side of the discharge conveyor and its adjacent side frame member 25 as shown in Figure 2. A chain 8I extends from the sprocket'il upwardly and forwardly over an idler sprocket 82 on cross shaft 83xed between the standards 20 and 2I4 and, from` thence.' to a chain sprocket 84 fixed tog the' transverse shaft I8. From the sprocket 84; the chain 8I passes downwardly and rearwardly about an idler sprocket 85 on shaft 86 and, from thence, downwardly and forwardly about sprocket 81 fixed onthe conveyor belt drive shaft'3Il From thence, the chain 8l continues upwardly and rearwardly about an idler sprocket 88 on stub shaft 89 carried on a block 90 which is guided for vertical adjustment in an upright slot BI-vformed in the side Wall 34 of the floating frame 32. From thence, the chain extends downwardly and rearwardly to the sprocket 80 onc'ross shaft 68.

The block 90,]carrying idler sprocket 88, may

be xedfi'n' variousV positions of adjustment by a nut QIltengaging' the inner face of the side wall 34- (see Figures 10 and 1l). The'sprocket 84 drives transverse shaft I9 continuously in one direction while the drive chain 8'! "is being driven. A pair of planetary gear devicesH-and9`6 are r'mounted on the shaft I 9, theseplanetary gear devices being operable to drive the chain drums I8, I 8 either simultaneously 'or independently of each other under the control of brake bands 91 and S8 on cross shaft 83. The planetary gear devices and their brake controlling meansmay be'of the same type broadly disclosed in the Mosier Patent #1,514,008, .so their d'etaiIsof-construction need not be further described herein.

A fIa-ngedfprojection 98 maybe provided along a forward inclined portion of thefside wall 34-of fioating frame 32 to form a guard for the chain 8`I' as it passes between sprockets 85and 81.

The use and operation of the machine above described isI as follows:

The machine is4 propelled along the track by its drive motor A66 operating through the. planetaries 16 and 11 in the4 conventional manner. While digging, the dipper I4 and boomU I5 are lowered to a position substantially as shown in Figure 1, and the machine is propelled bodily forwardly to gather material in the dipper. Material is unloaded from the dipper to the loading boom and, from thence, onto the front end of the discharge conveyor 24 by operating the planetaries 95 and S6 in the customary manner to wind the chains Il, Il on the drums I3, I8, and elevate the dipper and boom into inclined position to discharge the material upon the front end of the conveyor 24.

It will be observed that, by reason of the pivotal mounting of the oating frame or belt-supporting section 32 with its front end yieldably supported on springs 49 and 50, the entire front end of the conveyor belt 21 with its drive roller 30 are yieldably supported relative to the main frame and its fixed belt-supporting section, so as to cushion any effects of any excessive weight of material discharged from the boom onto the conveyor.

It will be observed further that the chain drive connections extending from the cross shaft 68 below the discharge conveyor to the cross shaft I9, on which the chain drum operating planetaries 95 and 96 are mount-ed, consists of a single chain 8l moving in an orbital path disposed to one side of the discharge conveyor 2A, and that this chain 8i also provides drive connection to the belt drive roller 2G mounted at the front end of the floating frame 32. By arranging all the `chain drive connections to the sprocket shaft i9 floating frame 32 for movement with the latter, 2

in the manner disclosed herein, drive chain 8l may be automatically maintained at the proper tension to compensate for any vertical yielding movement of the oating frame 32, including the belt driving roller 3G at the front end of said fioating frame.

Although I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that varii ous changes and modifications may be made without department from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a mucking machine, a main frame having a dipper pivotally mounted for vertical dumping movement at its front end, hoisting means for said dipper on the front end of said frame, an elevating conveyor including an endless belt mounted on said frame and arranged to receive material from said dipper at a relatively low level at the front of said frame and to carry it for discharge at a relatively high level at the rear of said frame, said conveyor having a beltsupporting section at its front end mounted for yielding vertical movement relative to said frame and having a drive pulley for said belt journalled at the front end thereof, power means on said frame below said conveyor, and drive connections from said power means to said belt drive pulley including a drive chain moving in an orbital path in a vertical plane at one side of said conveyor, and extending generally in alignment with said front belt supporting section.

2. In a mucking machine, a main frame having a dipper pivotally mounted for vertical dumping movement at its front end, hoisting means for said dipper on the front end of said frame, an elevating conveyor including an endless belt mounted on said frame and arranged to receive material from said dipper at a relatively low level at the front of said frame and to carry it for discharge at a relatively high level at the rear of said frame, said elevating conveyor having a rear belt-supporting section fixed on said frame and a front belt-supporting section pivotally mounted on a transverse axis adjacent the front end of said xed section for yieldable swinging movement relative to the latter, said front section having a drive pulley for said belt journalled at the front end thereof, power means on said frame below `said conveyor, and drive connections from said power means to said belt drive pulley including a drive chain moving in an orbital path in a vertical plane at one side of said conveyor, and extending generally in alignment with said front belt supporting section.

3. In a mucking machine, a main frame having a dipper pivotally mounted for vertical dumping movement at its front end, hoisting means for said dipper on the front end of said frame, an elevating conveyor including an endless belt rmounted on said frame and arranged to receive material from said dipper at a relatively low level at the front of said frame and to `carry it for discharge at a relatively high level at the rear of said frame, said elevating conveyor having a rear belt-supporting section fixed on said frame and a front belt-supporting section pivotally mounted on a transverse axis adjacent the front end of said fixed section for yieldable swinging movement relative to the latter, said front section having a drive pulley for said belt journalled at the front end thereof, power means on said frame below said conveyor, and drive connections from said power means to said hoisting means and said belt drive pulley including a single drive chain moving in an orbital path in a vertical plane at one side of said conveyor, and having a portion thereof extending generally in alignment with said front belt supporting section.

4. In a mucking machine, a main frame having a dipper pivotally mounted for vertical dumping movement at its front end, hoisting means for said dipper on the front end of said frame, an elevating conveyor including an endless belt mounted on said frame and arranged to receive material from said dipper at a relatively low level at the front of said frame and to carry it for discharge at a relatively high level at the rear of said frame, said elevating conveyor having a rear belt-supporting section fixed on said frame and a front belt-supoprting section pivotally mounted on a transverse axis adjacent the front end of said fixed section for yieldable swinging movement, said front section having a drive pulley for said belt journalled at the front end thereof, power means on said frame and drive connections from said power means to said belt drive pulley including a drive chain, said front section having an idler pulley mounted thereon over which said drive chain is trained to compensate for variations in tension of said drive chain during swinging movement of said front section.

5. amuckinggmachine; a.v mainframehaving upright.side1plates=anda dipprer'pivotally mount.- edA for' vertical: dumping;` movement at the front end, an elevatingonveyor including anaendless belt mountedy on said frame and arrangedvto receive'material from Vsaid dipper-at a relatively low level at thefront` of said' frame and tocarryit for discharge-ata relativelyvhigli level atfthe rear. of said frame, saidv elevating conveyor hav-l ing. a rear-belt-supporting section xed on said fra-me and a frontbelt-supporting section `pivotally mounted-01C;` the transverse axisv adjacent the front end of saidmfixed section,` said front section-having a pair of. laterally extending, angle memberszfxed thereon;k the.- side; plates` of the main frame having ,openslotsthroughi which saidxangle membersvproject, and adjustable spring means supporting -saidY angle memberson said side platesto afford; yieldaloleI vertcalmovement `of said front.y suppoxtingzsection nelatlve to said mainframe,

ANTHONY Ri BIEDESS,.,.

REFERENCES CITED The following' references areA of record 'in the file ofthis. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberV 1 Name Date.

872,901 Collins .Dec. 3,1907 908,395 Couch etal. Dec. 29f 1908 1,401,629 Meyers Dec. 2'7y 1921 1,424,868 Zabel etal.: .Aug. 8,1922 1,514,008y Mosier- .Nov.- 4, 1924 1,739,624r Whamond .Deci 17,.1929 2,239,076 Biedess Apr- 22, 41941` 2,390,410 Andershock Dec. 4, 1945 

